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2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata reveal livestream is here and now

Let's not understate the significance and difficulty of what's been accomplished here. In this ever-connected, constantly surveilled modern auto industry, Mazda has pulled a coup - it's kept a new vehicle under wraps. Yes, we've seen hacked up and camouflaged mules and maybe a form under a sheet, but Mazda is about to reveal its next-generation MX-5 Miata, and the car - let alone its specifications - hasn't been leaked anywhere yet. Not via clandestine camera phone snapshot, not by patent drawing, not by leaked ad copy, not even by diecast model. Believe us, we've looked.
And this isn't just some humdrum crossover or workaday compact, it's the Miata, the world's most popular roadster, apple of the enthusiast community's eye and seeming center of gravity for the Japanese automaker. For those who are genuinely excited about cars - about motoring - this is an impressive feat. If anything, Mazda's radio silence regarding the fourth-generation ND Miata has only served to heighten our anticipation for a model that probably won't reach showrooms for another year.
So, what's true and what's false among all the rumors? Will the already lightweight Miata really shed hundreds of pounds? What exactly will live under hood and drive those rear wheels?

Mixed sales results, but automaker stocks rise on need for cars in Houston

DETROIT — The Big Three Detroit automakers on Friday reported better-than-expected August sales and issued optimistic outlooks for demand as residents of the Houston area replace flood-damaged cars and trucks after Hurricane Harvey, sending their stocks higher. General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler posted mixed August U.S. sales, with GM up 7.5 percent and Ford and Fiat Chrysler down. Japanese automaker Toyota improved sales by nearly 7 percent, while Honda fell 2.4 percent. Still, analysts focused on the potential for Detroit automakers to cut inventories and stabilize used vehicle prices as residents of Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, are forced to replace tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of vehicles after the devastation from Hurricane Harvey. Mark LaNeve, Ford's U.S. sales chief, told analysts on Friday that following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 "we saw a very dramatic snapback" in demand. That said, Ford sales fell 2.1 percent in August. It sold 209,897 vehicles in the United States, compared with 214,482 a year earlier. Sales were down 1.9 percent in the Ford division and off 5.8 percent at Lincoln. Demand was down for cars, crossovers and SUVs. It was not clear how many vehicles in the Houston area will be scrapped, LaNeve said, saying he had seen estimates ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 to 1 million. Ford's Houston dealers may have lost fewer than 5,000 vehicles in inventory, he said. Ford is the No. 1 automaker in the Houston market, with 18 percent share, according to IHS Markit. The company plans to ship used vehicles to Houston dealers and has "every indication we would have to add some production" of new vehicles to meet demand, LaNeve said. Investor concerns about inventories of unsold vehicles and falling used car prices have weighed on Detroit automakers' shares most of this year. Now, automakers can anticipate a jolt of demand from a big market that is a stronghold for Detroit brand trucks and SUVs. "It's got to be a positive for the industry," LaNeve said. Investors appeared to agree. GM shares rose as much as 3.3 percent to their highest since early March. Ford increased 2.8 percent at $11.34, and Fiat Chrysler's U.S.-traded shares were up 5.2 percent $15.91, hitting their highest in more than five years. GM reported a 7.5 percent increase in U.S. auto sales in August, helped by robust sales of crossovers across its four brands.

2014 Mazda6 to start at $20,880*

We got our very first taste of the impressive 2014 Mazda6 back in October, and had more than a few good things to say about the midsizer. One piece of information that was conspicuous by its absence, however, was a sticker price.
Now, with zero pomp and circumstance (not even a press release as of this writing), Mazda has dropped what looks to be official pricing for the 6 on its consumer website.
$20,880 is the asking price for the base Mazda6 Sport with a manual transmission (plus $795 worth of destination charges, for a total of $21,675). Alaska residents will need to cough up $840 for destination. The loaded-up Mazda6 Grand Touring shown on the site will set you back a total of $30,290 (MSRP of $29,495), but it isn't clear if that's the starting price of the Grand Touring trim. Mazda is taking orders for the new 6 right now, and the cars will be available on January 2, 2013.